


Cupcakes with a side of Justice

by DarthUmbreon (SperoDeoVolente)



Series: A Bright Light and Deep Darkness [4]
Category: League of Legends
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-25 09:13:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3804904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SperoDeoVolente/pseuds/DarthUmbreon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Here is a Caitlyn/Vi story!<br/>Caitlyn sets down the path to become Piltover's Finest. Along the way she makes friends, enemies, and discovers that there is more to life then just doing your job.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rain falls down heavily, coating the city of Piltover in a freezing torrent. This heavy rain is not unusual, as the city experiences a brief, turbulent rainy season every spring. What is different, however, is the bitter cold. Nestled between a marsh, and the ocean, Piltover is usually a temperate place. The people are not accustomed to the cold, and several leading inventors are working towards a solution. Several marvelous inventions for keeping people warm have been presented, yet not everyone can afford them.

The city’s poorest struggle against the bitter weather, hoping for their statemens to present a miracle of science. After all, they’ve conquered the land, sea, and air with their hextech, surely they can master the weather as well? As Piltover starts to settle down for another, long, wet cold night a young woman remains firmly seated. Ignoring the steadily dropping temperatures, she continues on with her research. Unlike the poorest residents, she is better equipped to handle the night.

Long brown hair covers the side of her face, eyes glued to the manuscript in her hands. A thick fur lined leather coat covers her thin frame. Matching her expensive coat is equally pricy leather gloves, and fur lined boots. No one stops to talk to her, and she likes it that way. Caitlyn is her name, and she enjoys the solitude to pursue her work. Her father is one of the leading statesmen of the city, and often requests her to help him with his projects. As a dutiful daughter, she always agrees to help him with his work to further science. However, what he wants isn’t her passion.

All Caitlyn’s father wants is to further expand his knowledge, business, and hextech exploits. Mind you, he does this for the better of Piltover. What her father does for the betterment of the city only extends for the wealthiest citizens. If a person can’t afford a warm coat, then they deserve to freeze. According to her father, poverty drives people to improve themselves. And if a person can’t improve their lot in life with knowledge, hard work, and hextech developments, then they deserve to be miserable. Caitlyn, however, does not agree with this view. Everyone deserves an equal chance, and if a citizen is struggling to survive then they obviously don’t have the same resources. That does not give anyone the right to commit a crime to get the resources they need. 

Caitlyn’s father never listens to her passionate speeches about justice, equality, and lowering crime rates. To him, all it is youthful idealistic babble completely meaningless to applications in the real world. Hence, why she is staying up late on a cold, rainy night. If she can prove her father wrong by researching actual city statistics, then he has to listen to her! Once she gets the evidence, she can work on a solution that benefits everyone. With enough proof, she can change the city for the better! Although she is only thirteen, almost fourteen, Caitlyn is driven to solving other’s problems with a passion unequal to anyone else she knows. Everyone around her is obsessed with knowledge, but her desires for the knowledge she gathers sets her apart from her peers.

No one seems to be interested in being her friend, and Caitlyn is fine with that! She doesn’t need a partner, she can solve the city’s problems on her own. With enough time, effort, evidence, and proof she will change Piltover for the betterment of everyone, not just a privileged few. Wisps of brown hair fall into her eyes, obscuring her vision. She isn’t a natural brunette, her hair color is actually a shade of blue. In hopes that Caitlyn will find more friends, her mother insists that she keeps it dyed a more appealing color. Personally, she doesn’t care what her hair color is! What she looks like shouldn’t have anything with how she handles a job. Still, it might be nice to have a single friend. Once that thought enters her mind, Caitlyn violently shakes her head to clear it.

“Hey.” A loud voice yells at her.

Carefully keeping an annoyed frown in check, Caitlyn looks over at the rude person who interrupted her studies. Before her stands someone she has never encountered before! Uneven pink hair frames vivid blue eyes that stare at her with open curiosity. There is nothing threatening about the young woman before her, only keen interest shows up on her face. Caitlyn guesses the girl to be about her age. However, their shared age is the only thing they seem to have in common. Unlike Caitlyn’s expensive, perfectly tailored clothing, her intruder wears mismatched, worn, fading clothing. An umbrella that barely seems able to open at all holds off the rain. Yet, she seems undeterred by the unfriendly environment.

“Hey! I said something to you. Aren’t you going to answer?” She demands in a loud voice. 

“Oh! Forgive me, I was wrapped up in my research. I didn’t mean to ignore you, miss…?” Caitlyn replies back, voice neutral. Just because the stranger had the gall to interrupt her work doesn’t give her the right to be rude back.

“Hahaha! I’m no ‘miss’. People call me Vi. Pleased to meet ya!” Vi tells her with a grin, holding out one greasy hand in friendship. 

Something about this gesture screams a challenge. Nothing in Vi’s tone of voice seems off, but the way she holds herself seems to be waiting for something unpleasant to happen back. It is like Vi doesn’t expect Caitlyn to treat her like an equal. Uncertain of Vi’s game, but refusing to back down, Caitlyn smiles back and shakes her hand. A smirk crosses Vi’s face as they shake hands, but a warm smile reflects out of her eyes. Caitlyn usually doesn’t bother to admire someone for their looks, but Vi is most definitely beautiful, in her own rough way.

“Normally I wouldn’t bother, but…” Vi says hesitantly, as if she changing her mind about something.

“But?” Caitlyn replies back, waiting for an explanation. 

“You really shouldn’t be here right now. It isn’t safe for someone like you.” Vi tells her with a shrug, trying to keep things calm and reasonable.

Eyes narrowing to mere slits, Caitlyn stares back trying to figure out what the hell is going on here. It is then that Caitlyn notices that this section of the city is oddly quiet. An ominous feeling presses down against her spine. Gut twisting with unease, Caitlyn stands up gathering her things. It is time to leave! As much as Caitlyn would like to brag that she can take care of herself, something in her gut tells her this time will be different.

“Then I guess I should be going.” Caitlyn tells her politely, as she puts away her research into her purse.

“Smart idea. A pretty lady like you isn’t safe on a night like this.” Vi tells her with a relieved grin.

Caitlyn’s heart skips a beat at being called pretty. Sure, people have given her compliments before but they never caused her to feel any different. Before she can react, Vi leans forward and brushes Caitlyn’s bangs away from her face. A bright blush fills her face at the simple touch.

“I can handle myself, thank you very much!” Caitlyn snaps back, uncertain of how to react to this new development. 

Bells from one of the city’s many clocks rings out, signaling the time to be midnight. Vi grows tense, a concerned frown creasing her forehead. Without warning, Caitlyn finds herself being dragged down the street at a rapid pace. Vi is much stronger than her thin body suggests. Before she can start to demand Vi to let her go the sound of gun fire bursts out from nearby. 

“Keep walking. Don’t run. Don’t look back.” Vi hisses in her ear, before shoving her roughly down a different street.

Caitlyn’s body follows these orders without question. Something about Vi’s voice holds command over her body, and she finds herself walking away from the conflict without looking back. Loud screams of panic, pain, and terror start to echo from behind her. As much as she wants to go back, and see what is happening, Caitlyn keeps marching forward. Caitlyn isn’t prepared for a fight, and she knows this. Like a fool, she has no weapons on her person. If she goes back, she would have no way to defend herself against the crimes happening behind her. Hot tears of frustration and rage mingle with the cold rain dripping down her face. People are getting hurt, and she is powerless to help them. In fact, she might be among the injured if it weren’t for Vi’s intervention.

A cold stone replaces her stomach. Vi might be getting hurt right now! Or worse yet, Vi is one of the people hurting others. It is now obvious to Caitlyn that Vi knew a crime was about to happen, and deliberately steered her away from it. She owed Vi a debt, and Caitlyn is uncertain how to repay it. One thing is certain, however! A crime happened in her city, and she didn’t have the tools to stop it from happening. That will not happen again. Never again will she be without a weapon to stop criminals from acting. Crime is a problem in her city, and Caitlyn silently vows to end it at all costs. 

No one is awake when Caitlyn finally gets home. Careful not to spoil her mother’s pricy rugs with her wet clothing, Caitlyn strips out of her soaking garments in the dark hallway. A robotic servant will take care of her mess. Silent she creeps past her parent’s bedroom and into her own. Various gadgets, papers, and tools litter her desk. Ignoring the clutter, Caitlyn ruffles around for a particular object. Once she finds her journal, she turns on a small lamp giving off the tiniest of lights. Using a pencil, then pen, then colored markers, Caitlyn draws Vi in her journal from memory. With great care, Caitlyn records the entire interaction between them. To the best of her memory, which is very good, she writes down what they said to each other. Pleased with her work, Caitlyn puts her journal back where she got it from. 

Once she is comfortable, sleep refuses to come to her. Every time she closes her eyes, images of pink hair and blue eyes fill her mind. The feeling of Vi’s hand on her face fills her body with a feeling she’s never felt before. A sensation that is making it very hard to fall asleep. Caitlyn makes up her mind about one thing, before her mind allows her to drift off to slumber. If Vi can have pink hair, then she should be able to have her hair blue. Why hide her hair color? Right now, her hair is brown and she doesn’t have any friends like her mother wants. She will change the city, and she will do it her way. No need to hide behind something she isn’t, just for the sake of her parents.


	2. First Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlyn starts down the path to being Piltover's finest. The first steps are always the hardest...or are they?

Hextech lamps dimly light this section of Piltover. Several of the lamps desperately need repair, their illuminating glow flickering in and out. Shadows dance erratically in the faint light offering a lot of places to hide and Caitlyn is fine with this. It gives her an edge, and she will happily take any edge she can get. Earlier today her father had been mugged, his belongings stolen away and the criminals weren’t captured. The moment she found out, an idea became firmly planted in her mind. If she can catch the criminals who stole from her father, she could prove herself worthy of her cause. 

Caitlyn has always had an interest in solving problems, puzzles, and helping others. However, her father wants her to follow in his footsteps. To him, those interests are just trivial things to keep a child happy until they grow up and took on real projects. However, after her encounter with Vi, Caitlyn realized something important about Piltover, and herself. Crime is a serious issue in Piltover that isn’t being properly addressed. Until all criminals are locked behind bars there can’t be true progress. The vision her parents so strongly believe in can’t happen as the city stands now, riddled with injustice. If people as young as Vi are forced to commit crimes to survive, then there is no true progress happening. After her encounter with Vi, the urge to save others became her obsession. 

A fire burns deep in Caitlyn’s very core, a desire to make things right for everyone. There will be justice for everyone! By her hands, she will eradicate all crime and make it possible for everyone to succeed. No longer will the lack of justice force citizens like Vi to break the law just to make ends meet. Oh, she knows that there is more to changing the city then just catching criminals. There has to change in city policy for one thing. It will take her years, if not her entire life, to bring an end to crime in Piltover. In order to succeed, however, Caitlyn needs to prove the value of her chosen path in life.

Small trickles of sweat drip down her palms, her knuckles white against the stock of her father’s rifle. Without pausing, Caitlyn stalks down an alleyway. Faint voices echo in the night. Just three blocks in front of her is the target. An old warehouse sits dark, except for a dim glow on the third story. After spending an entire afternoon asking questions, comparing notes, and some research led her to this building. Once a storehouse for a hextech company it now sits abandoned as business moved out of the area. Currently it is used as an exchange of stolen goods for drugs. The door is left unlocked and unguarded.

A smiles stretches across Caitlyn’s face. Heart beating fast and heavy, her eyes gleam in the dim light. Soon the chase will end, and it will be glorious! One shoulder nudges the door open, keeping it close to her body. Voices can be heard from above. If her memory serves her right, this building design should have two staircases. Slowly closing the door behind her, Caitlyn pauses listening. No change in the noise volume. Once the coast is clear, she continues her way to the rear staircase.

This door is locked. One hand reaches into a pocket withdrawing a pick. It takes a few minutes, but Caitlyn manages to pick the lock. Thick dust carpets these stairs. Rust stains the stairwell and hand rail. As quietly as she can, she tiptoes up the stairs. Each step creaks beneath her feet, protesting her weight. Pausing, she listens for trouble. Still no change. Up she goes, taking care to keep quiet. The second story landing passes without incident. 

As Caitlyn nears the third story landing, the voices get louder. Unable to make out exact words, she listens to the tone and pitch. They’re fighting over something. Slowly she pushes open the door to the third floor. Unused for years, the door protests with a groan. As the door swings open quickly Caitlyn steps back taking refuge on the stairs. Rifle at the ready, Caitlyn waits for someone to notice.

The arguing voices go silent. Her presence is no longer undetected. Caitlyn’s eyes are already adjusted to the gloom. About four doors down the hallway, light shines out from under the door. A young man steps out into the hallway armed with a club. Carefully taking aim, she waits for him to turn her way. BANG! Goes the rifle, dust flying off the walls from the gunshot. Panic erupts from the room into the hallway. As men pour out of the room, she takes aim trying to keep the shots nonfatal. Each shot she fires hits the intended target. Soon four men are crumpled in a heap in the hallway. 

Groans and curses fill the air. Blood starts to run down the hallway filling her nostrils with its metallic scent. Five men mugged her father. According to her sources, they were meeting with three others. Half of them are down, but the job isn’t done. Time to play the waiting game. One minutes passes by, then another. Sweat drips down her face. Shadows flicker from the entrance. With a yell two men rush out the door. Guns go off, bullets blazing. One bullet brushes past her check narrowly missing her. Bang! Bang! Two more men drop the ground. Only two left. As the minutes pass, Caitlyn reloads her gun. Finally, the last two men step out the door hands raised up in surrender. 

“On your knees! Hands up!” Caitlyn barks out. They obey.

Using a small hextech radio, Caitlyn calls in to the closet police station. It doesn’t take long for the Piltover police to arrive. They had been deployed at the first sounds of gunfire. Once the police arrive Caitlyn gives her report. One hand pulls out a sheet showing all of her evidence that lead to this. They take it without protest. The officers seem more in shock about her behavior then the criminals she took down. Back straight, she marches home. 

Both of her parents are awake and waiting. The police had called them, informing them of her actions. As Caitlyn walks in the door to her home, she is embraced by her mother. As Caitlyn looks over her mother’s shoulder, she sees the distaste in her father’s eyes. With a soft squeeze, she returns her mother’s hug before breaking away.

“I’m fine mom. I’ll be doing this from now on. Father, I need use of your gun. Once I save enough, I will be buying my own. Goodnight.” Caitlyn informs them.

Caitlyn’s father doesn’t say a single thing as she walks past him. Her mother is also silent. Neither of them protest her actions. However, the lack of support from them stings. Wouldn’t it have hurt them to congratulate her good work? No matter! She isn’t doing this for them, she is doing for Piltover. As she gets ready for bed, an image of Vi pops into her head. Hopefully one day she can talk to Vi again, only next time it will be different between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will show more of Caitlyn growing up, plus Jayce enters the picture.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlyn learns about the value of cupcakes!

A soft spring breeze whispers in Caitlyn’s ear. One hand absentmindedly brushes wayward blue hair out of her eyes. Resting against her back is a new rifle. It taken exactly three months to earn up enough gold to buy it. Today is the first day she is taking it out on her rounds. By now she has established several routes she travels through Piltover gathering clues. Crime happens all the time, but it happens more often in certain areas of town. Thus, it makes sense to spend more time where the action is. Her current route takes her through the docks. First she has to get there, and she has chosen to walk instead of catching a taxi.

A lot of things happen in the Piltover docks. Not only does the city host a large ship yard, but it also contains a train yard, and air strip. It isn’t difficult to get in or out of Piltover. The trick is getting out of the city with the stolen goods. Due to the strict monitoring of the trains, and air ships, most criminals try to exit the city via ship. Due to politics with Bilgewater cargo restrictions are lighter. 

It doesn’t help that a decent sized population of yordles are smuggling goods to Bandle City from the docks. Sure, Piltover is on good terms with Bandle City, and has a large population of yordle citizens, but not every yordle plays by the rules. The little fellows are fast, clever, and sneaky at the worst of times. At their best? Just about impossible to handle. Well, that is what the current sheriff of Piltover told her. Caitlyn is determined to prove him wrong. Yordles are welcome in her city, but only if they follow the laws. If the current sheriff doesn’t want to deal with them, she will. 

Eventually Caitlyn will be the sheriff. Until then, she has to be patient and work her way up the ranks. Hell, she can’t even join the Piltover Police ranks officially yet! A citizen has to be at least eighteen to a police officer. She is barely fourteen, Caitlyn can’t join them yet. However, it is legal for her to own a weapon. She can also place people under a citizen’s arrest if she uses nonlethal force to stop them. As long as she is careful, follows all the rules, technically no one can stop her. Justice will be served, and it will be done by her hands.

A small smile tugs at her lips. In front of her is the start of the docks. Wafting scents of fish, ocean, and oil greet her. A few people throw her a greeting. A wave of the hand, a shout, or a grin – it varies from person to person. Caitlyn returns all greetings with a small nod of her head. She also takes mental notes of who greets her. Hostility is often a sign of trouble. It might save her neck later if she remember an unfriendly face in the crowd. 

On this route she is just observing. A lot of people have strange notions how sleuthing works. Her most powerful tool is not her rifle, but her eyes. The tiniest detail can solve the toughest of crimes better than any number of bullets. Caitlyn walks through the docks back straight. Carefully she notes everything around her, mentally categorizing it in her mind’s eye. Later she’ll note down everything of importance, and draw out things she’ll need to look over later. For now most of her attention is on the small things. Most importantly, the tools, transportation methods, and habits of the local yordles. 

There aren’t a lot of books on yordles. They’re a surprising private race of creatures. Oh, they’re friendly enough – but they don’t share much about themselves. Almost everything Caitlyn knows about them is what she has observed. Caitlyn tried traditional research on yordles, but there were only two books in the entire Piltover Library on them! Next she tried just asking the ones she knew questions, but that didn’t go far either. Movement to her far right catches her eye.

A group of young yordles, roughly ten years of age, are playing at the edge of the street. The youngest of the lot, a female whose skin is a pale shade of pink, is off to the side lost in thought. Yordle children are the most open, and easiest to talk to. Perhaps she can befriend the girl? Mind made up, Caitlyn starts striding towards them. 

“Watch out!” A panicked voice yells out.

Across the street from the yordles something comes crashing down. Somehow a crate full of canned goods has burst open in midair. A rain of cans starts tumbling towards the ground. At the speed the cans are traveling, they could easily do serious harm, possibly kill a yordle that small! One hand pulls her rifle off her shoulder and into the ready position.

“Take cover!” Caitlyn shouts out.

Bang! Bang! Bang! With each shot of her rifle a can is hit. Bang! Bang! Bang! She can’t shoot all the falling objects! There are too many. But, she can redirect the largest ones away from hitting the children. As the objects from the crate rain down on those below, Caitlyn fires a hail of bullets to deflect them. Finally out of rounds Caitlyn, finishes closing the distance between her and the yordles.

No one is moving. No one says anything. Worry spikes through her heart. Each pounding footstep on the pavement drives the fear deeper. Did she miss any cans? How badly hurt are the injured? Dropping to her knees, Caitlyn looks over the group of young ones for any signs of harm. Her rifle is set down to her right.

All of them look to be in shock. Thankfully there is no blood, or bad bruising. One of the males, a fuzzy lad with golden fur, has been hit by a smaller can. No one else seems to have taken any damage. Before Caitlyn can say anything a roar overcomes her. A small horde of yordle parents are running towards her. It seems like the parents had been working in a shop nearby. Anxious parents examine each of their kids for any serious harm. Hugs, tears, and shouts are going on around her in equal measure. 

“Hurrah! Hurrah for Caitlyn!” Someone hollers out.

People start cheering her name out, louder and louder. Swarms of people, yordle and human alike, surround her. Calloused hands haul her to her feet. Another pair of hands returns her rifle. Seemingly countless voices are chanting her name.

Before long the majority of the crowd disperses back into working order. The excitement is over, work has to be done by the end of the shift. One by one the yordle youth hug her in thanks. Most of the hugs are brief, but sincere. Their parents are giving her thankful looks, but none of them seem overly friendly. After all, surely it was a human that caused this problem in the first place? The common look of mistrust doesn’t surprise her. However, the last one to hug her is the little pink skinned girl. Long dark pink covers most of her face, yet a brief glimpse at her shows bright red pupils. Instead of releasing her after the initial hug, the little yordle continues to cling to Caitlyn’s legs.

“Tsk, tsk Rosalee! Let the poor human go. She’s got work to do. You can’t keep her from her job.” An elderly yordle says with a gruff voice.

Off to Caitlyn’s left is a very, very old yordle. One of the oldest she has ever seen. His body fur is completely aged white, his hair a thinned grey mass. Countless wrinkles cover his face, except for a rather busy white mustache and beard. Bright brown eyes gleam with an intelligence gained from a long, long life.

“Please forgive her. My little Rosalee doesn’t get much attention. It really impressed her that you bothered to save her, and the others. I was watching. You shot every can that would have hit one of them. Twice you deflected away lethal blows from my little Rosalee. For that, you have my gratitude. She’s the last of my line.” He explains as he walks over towards them.

Without saying a word, little Rosalee refuses to release Caitlyn’s legs. Her entire body is shaking slightly, and small droplets fall from her eyes. As Caitlyn observes the little yordle, it becomes clear that something is off about her. It more than her unusual skin coloring, the little gal hasn’t spoken a single word. An aura of loneliness just pours off her in waves. It reminds Caitlyn of herself, in a way. 

“No, she’s fine. I’m not bothered at all. In fact, I could use the company on my rounds. If she can keep up, she is welcome to join me.” Caitlyn says with a smile.

One of her hands replaces her rifle over her shoulder. Caitlyn’s other hand reaches out towards the little yordle. Eyes wide with surprise, Rosalee just stares up at her in shock for a moment. Before long, however, she is jumping up and down. Quickly she claps her hands together before reaching out and taking hold of Caitlyn’s hand.

“If you don’t mind, I’ll keep an eye on her while I do my rounds. It should take me about an hour, maybe two if things go slow. I’ll return her to this exact spot. You have my word that none shall harm her.” Caitlyn replies solemnly. 

“Very well. I shall continue my work. My little Rosalee doesn’t say much, but she can speak. I will look for you in an hour’s time.” The old yordle answers back before turning away from her.

As the two of them start to walk down the street, hand in hand, Caitlyn starts to explain her job to Rosalee. At moments when they are waiting to cross a busy road, Caitlyn pauses and describes why it is important to do these things. Why fighting crime is important, why detective work is exciting, and so much more. Although her companion says nothing in return, she can tell that the little yordle is listening very carefully. No one has ever really listened to Caitlyn before. At least, not with such keen interest. Most people just shrug off her words as meaningless. Yet, Rosalee treats everything she says like they are the most important things ever said out loud. It feels nice to have someone take her work seriously.

As her rounds come to an end, Caitlyn finds herself reluctant to part ways with her new friend. Rosalee has yet to say a single word, but that is fine with her. Rosalee will speak when she is ready to, not before. Just as they come back in sight of their starting point, Rosalee lets go of her hand. Without pause Rosalee runs up to her grandfather and speaks for the first time.

“C-c-cupcake. F-for muh-my f-friend.” Little Rosalee says with grave importance. 

So that is why Rosalee doesn’t speak much! She has a bad stutter. Filing away that piece of information, Caitlyn just smiles at the two yordles. It will be dark soon, and she needs to start documenting the clues she picked up while with Rosalee. Despite talking the entire time, nothing escapes her keen gaze.

“Of course, my little Rosie. We’ll get your new friend cupcakes. I know it is getting late, but it would you kindly join us? I’ll treat you to the best cupcakes in this part of Piltover. And, by the way, my name is Kos.” Kos informs her politely.

Although he phrases his question like a request, it isn’t one. He is flat out demanding that Caitlyn come with him, and Rosalee, to get cupcakes. Something about the way the two of them talk about cupcakes seems oddly serious for such a treat. With a smile and nod, and Caitlyn motions that she will follow them. Rosalee again claps with joy, and reaches out for her hand.

Before long, Caitlyn finds herself led to a small side street. It is filled with entirely yordle traffic. All of the stores lining the sides of the street are meant for yordle customers. None of the doorways are tall enough for her to enter through! She had no idea that such places existed in Piltover. Sure, she knew that the city had a sizable yordle population, but she didn’t know that there were shops only sized for yordles. None of the yordles would look her in the eyes. 

In the middle of the street is a packed shop. Not just any shop, but a bakery! Upon inspection, it proves to be a bakery that only sells cupcakes. Her eyes sweep around her constantly. This is new information for her. She won’t be able to come back, not without drawing too much attention to herself. What she can learn from this sole encounter has to matter. No detail is too small to be unnoticed. Kos goes into the bakery, one ‘Cutie Cupcakes Bakery.’ After several minutes, he returns with a bag full with three cupcakes. In silence, the three of them leave the street the way they came.

At the end of the street is the end of the docks. A small grassy plaza is provided for green space. Hextech lamps come to life, providing illumination to the night. Kos solemnly hands her a fancy purple cupcake with a cherry on top. His cupcake is green with yellow sprinkles, and Rosie’s a pink cupcake with white sprinkles, and small slice of orange on top. In comfortable silence, the three of them sit down on the grass and eat their cupcakes.

“Thank you very much.” Caitlyn says once she finishes eating her treat.

“No, thank you. You’ve done a great thing for my little Rosie today. It brings my old heart joy seeing the happiness you bring my grandchild. Not many people spend time with her, and you just volunteered an entire afternoon. We would like to see you again sometime soon. You do this route often? And…Just food for thought, since you seem so interested in yordles – a yordle can never resist a cupcake.” Kos tells her with a smile, then a wink.

“Buh-buh-b-bye. S-s-s-see y-you s-s-s-soon?” Rosalee asks shyly.

“Of course! I’ll gladly take you on any route I do. I have a route close to the docks we can do in a few days together. But, now, I need to get going. Goodnight Rosalee, goodnight Kos.” Caitlyn tells them with a smile.

As Caitlyn walks home, her mind swirls with information. Today has been one of the most fruitful yet! All of the things she learned about yordles pales in the past pales to what she learned in just an afternoon. Warm feelings press against her stomach at the memory of Rosalee. More important than the information she learned, is her new friend. Caitlyn really hasn’t had a friend before. Now, she has one. 

Protective feelings flow from her chest, flooding her entire body. Earlier today, she did something to protect the people of Piltover. Today, she saved lives. Before today, Caitlyn’s work has been to help a faceless public. Now, Piltover in her eyes has a face of innocence to protect. One small, pink yordle with wide red eyes is a new reason for her job.

Later that night, after Caitlyn finishes recording all of her sleuthing data into her journal she flops down on her bed. As usual, an image of Vi resurfaces in her mind. Every night, Caitlyn remembers Vi, her uneven pink hair, and vivid blue eyes. This time, she silently introduces Rosalee to Vi, thinking that the two of them would get along great. Thanks to Vi saving her, all those nights ago, she was able to save those young yordles today. One day, she will return the favor. One day, she will give Vi the thanks she deserves. Until then, she has pesky yordles to track down and stop. And, indirectly thanks to Vi, she now has an idea how.

Early the next morning, Caitlyn rolls out of bed. Three minutes after she climbs out of bed, her alarm clock starts to beep. Today, she needs an early start. After some late night research, Caitlyn found that a promising inventor has a shop, and a son, she can ask for help with her next project. What she needs is strong traps that won’t do serious harm to a small body. That involves hextech knowledge beyond her current set. So, she’ll ask the help of a famous rodent trap maker for help. He has a son, Jayce, who is around her age. Perhaps he can help with her?


	4. A New Friend Appears!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlyn continues to meet new faces on her quest to rid Piltover of crime. This Jayce fellow seems like a promising friend! Maybe he knows a good cupcake recipe too?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long to update this QQ

Caitlyn’s eyes sweep up and down the street taking in all details. All the buildings are tucked tightly together. Materials used in construction are faded, worn, and often need replacing. Street signs are useless, completely unreadable. If the alleys between buildings are completely clean, a small yordle might be able to traverse it. In their current condition, only the main streets are passable. People of all types traverse the maze like streets. Average building height is two stories, connected to a massive connected underground system. Workshops, stores, and various repair shops line the first levels. Second stories house families, supplies, and various other things. 

Somewhere in this hodgepodge maze of small workshops is the one she wants. Due to her father’s views on success, Caitlyn has never been to this section of Piltover before. Most of the inventors here replicate standard hextech. Very little new hextech is produced from these shops. Instead the scientists make their earnings making cheaper models of popular hextech. ‘Cancerous tumors, feeding off the truly great,’ her father would exclaim loudly, often about this section of town. ‘Only stealing the latest greatest hextech, and making inferior ripoffs to pander to the lowly masses!’ Hands forming tight fists, Caitlyn tries to ignore her father’s words. He’s wrong about these people! Back stiffening, she marches down one of the larger streets. 

Most of the popular shops have recognizable addresses, visible to the regular citizen. Not all businesses boast this kind of success. Often, the shops display a logo on a banner held over their entrance. A few entrances are dark with zero markings. Best to avoid those places for now. Heavy on her back rests her rifle, a constant companion. So far, it is the only partner she needs to do her job! About fifteen minutes of looking at seemingly endless shops, Caitlyn finds the one she seeks. “Jay’s All in One Hextech” is a fairly well off place, having both street address and banner. The owner is one of the few who actively creates new hextech. Despite his success, he’s refused all offers to join a larger, more successful company. An oddity, indeed! 

Small bells chirp and chime as she steps into the shop. Various hextech line shelves, clearly marked, labeled, and priced. Different size stools allow customers to reach merchandise on the higher shelves. Not a speck of dust is to be seen. Everything metal gleams, freshly polished. Scents of lemon, oil, and cedar reach her nose. Unlike the uneven road to get here, all the stones in the floor are even. Not long after her entrance, a young man rushes out to greet her. 

Again, Caitlyn assess this newcomer. He appears to be a bit older than her, but not by much. Messy brown hair hangs low over his eyes, hiding their color. A dimple forms on his cheek as he smiles at her. Awkwardly cute now, she decides looking over his attempts to be charming. However, once he fully matures, this young man will be dastardly handsome. 

“Welcome to Jay’s! My name’s Jayce, how can I assist you today? Is there any particular invention you’re looking for? We have some new makeup appliers! Not that a pretty lady like you needs…” Jayce says, attempting to charm her into a good sell.

“No thank you. I’m looking for a non lethal trap for a large sized...rodent. Roughly the size of a hunting hextech hound. It must be strong enough to completely immobilize the target without causing serious injury or death. Price will not be an issue, but your sad attempts to impress me will be an issue. I can take my coin elsewhere, Mr. Jayce!” Caitlyn snaps, temper growing quickly short at his attempts to be charming. A small bluff will hopefully work, because there aren’t any other shops with what she needs. At least, with what she needs free from her father’s prying eyes. Blast it all, her father seems determined to know everything she’s doing, and tell her in detail how fruitless her efforts are! 

“Oh, um...sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you miss. I take it you’re a hunter? What kind of prey do you hunt that don’t want want killed? Do you want the hide left undamaged? We have traps that will not damage the skin of an animal, but it is lethal…” Jayce stammers at her brusque nature, but recovers from her cold shoulder quickly.

Caitlyn mentally gives Jayce some kudos at his recovery. Jumping away from the pretty miss wants makeup, he assumed that she is a hunter. Not entirely surprising, considering the rifle on her back, and the nature of the hextech she seeks. His gaze goes dark, as he seems to puzzle over her unusual request. If she wants her traps, Caitlyn will need to work with this young man. She’ll give him a chance, for now.

“You could say I’m a hunter, of sorts. I’m working with Piltover law enforcement. We have a yordle problem. I need a trap that will stop them from escaping, but not kill them. Nothing like that exists, that I’ve found,” Caitlyn explains, with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Huh, you’re Caitlyn huh? I never thought I’d see you here! It is an honor to meet you. As to your trap, I can’t think of anything that we have that would work. My father is out of town, so he can’t help you with any new designs,” Jayce replies back, face turning pink at recognizing her. 

Caitlyn makes note that her reputation is spreading. Something that can be useful, or dangerous, depending on how she uses it in the future. Blast it though, that the inventor she seeks is out of town! Hopefully Jayce inherited some of his father’s creative genius. She can’t afford to waste time, waiting for one particular man to get back.

“Waiting until your father gets back is not good. I don’t want to waste any time! Here, what do you think about these plans? I can’t get past the standard third kog, two spring closing method! Surely you have some ideas!” Caitlyn explains, voice rising in annoyance at this setback. One hand reaches into a bag at her side. Quickly she pulls out a set of papers, various designs scribbled on both sides. With a snap of her wrist, she sets down her ideas on the counter in front of her.

“Hmmm, let me look at those...” Jayce mutters thoughtfully, as he looks over her thoughts on a new trap. “This idea looks promising, I hadn’t thought to apply Markzen’s spring like that...Hey! I have an idea that might work! You got any prototypes on you?” Jayce yells in joy, eyes brightening at the thought of a new challenge.

“Of course I do. I wouldn’t come here unprepared.” Caitlyn responds, a smile crossing her face. His genuine interest in making her trap come true is refreshing. 

“Excellent! Follow me, I have a workshop in the back. Let me try something, you might think it’ll be useful. What will you use as bait though? Yordles are slippery…” Jayce tells her, as he lifts up a section of the counter. He gestures in the direction of his workshop. 

“Oh, I don’t know. I’ll think of something to use as bait. Though, I love a good cupcake! Does your family have any recipes for cupcakes I can look at?” Caitlyn replies back, a laugh in her throat. Finally things are going her way! Help with her trap designs, people who actually care about her work...it almost seems like she’s making friends! Tonight, once she’s done with today’s errands, Caitlyn will record everything in journal. Every night as she drifts off to sleep, she tells Vi about her day. If Vi could meet Jayce, would she like him? Does she want Vi to like Jayce? Forcing those traitorous thoughts from her mind, Caitlyn listens to Jayce ramble off idea after idea. Who Vi likes or doesn’t like, isn’t her problem. The crime in Piltover is!


	5. Frostings is hard to perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years pass since the dock incident. Things are looking up! No, wait, things are going to hell.

“Did I get the frosting right this time?” Caitlyn inquires, holding out a spoon covered with pink frosting. She’s been desperate to perfect her frosting recipe for her cupcake baits. With Jayce’s help she invented the trap she wanted for the job. What proved even trickier? Getting a bait that will attract yordles even though they know it’s a baited trap. Thankfully, her pink haired partner loves to help taste test. 

Rosalee takes the spoon from her. One small pink tongue licks off all the frosting in a single go. Long pink hair shakes back and forth. One of her friends small fingers taps her cheeks in thought. Caitlyn waits for her partner’s reply. It has been exactly five years since that fateful encounter at the Piltover Dockyard. 

After countless hours of being an unofficial city police officer, the City of Piltover accepted her as the youngest policemen on city record. Mostly to save the poor clerks paperwork. No matter how legal her arrests were, they still generated a lot of unusual, time consuming paperwork. Still, she made it! Plus, she isn’t alone in her ventures to rid Piltover of crime. Not even two years on the job, Rosalee became her partner. Caitlyn couldn’t ask for a better one!

“T-too much s-s-sour c-c-cream.” Rosalee explained before handing back her the spoon.

“Damn! I’ll have to wait on adjusting the recipe. I heard that there was another break-in near downtown. You know what that means,” Caitlyn growls in annoyance. 

Yet again, she’s failed at making the perfect cupcake frosting! To make things worse a mysterious crime spree has been hitting up downtown. Seemingly impossible break-ins are happening all over downtown. Nothing is stolen after those break-ins. But, that doesn’t stop the rich business owners from complaining about her failing to do her job. 

“G-g-got y-y-y-you a-a g-g-gift,” Rosalee tells her as they start to walk out the door. “O-on y-your d-d-desk.” 

“Thanks partner.” Caitlyn says with warmth.

There is only one type of gift from Rosalee, and that is information. More specifically data on her interest Vi. Once her partner found out that Caitlyn has been keeping a running file on the criminal named “Vi”, Rosalee has been using the yordle gossip network for her. After enough knowledge is acquired, Rosalee leaves the info on Caitlyn’s desk. Despite years having passed since her meeting with Vi, Caitlyn remembers it vividly. She hasn’t encountered Vi, in person, since then. One day, she hopes to have a conversation with Vi and thank her.

Until then, Caitlyn’s life is very routine. She likes it this way, nice and simple. Things were a bit duller since Jayce started on some personal project. Something about new energy sources? Jayce is second source of explosions in her life. Ziggs being the first, but Ziggs is an experience all on his own. Thankfully, Ziggs rarely crosses paths with her these days. Not since he was given an official title. Sanctioned explosions are much easier to clean up, paperwork wise! Heimendinger has been supplying the means to clean up after Ziggs’ literal messes. The two of them really bonded after that incident. In front of the main exit a crowd is forming. Steps slowing, Caitlyn looks for the cause of the hold up. One of their stationary robot officers is stirring wildly. Probably going to make an office wide announcement. 

“Head’s up everyone! There’s a new case the city-council wants solved. ASAP! All other cases are put on hold until it’s cleared,” Yells out one of the robot officers. Dubbed ‘Vox’, this stationary robot yells out new orders from the sheriff directly. No wonder everyone is pausing! The last time Vox stirred was for a city wide crisis.

“Huh?” Caitlyn and Rosalee mutter together. What could be so important to put everything on hold this time?

“An inventor from Zaun was kidnapped off our streets less than an hour ago. They were carrying plans for hextech weaponry on route to Noxus. Official business permits of course! But Noxus wants the plans recovered. Demacia will want them too, once they find out. For the sake of not getting dragged into the war between those two, we’ve got to get them back.” Vox drones out.

Silence reigns for less than a minute. Then chaos breaks out. No one in Piltover wants to get dragged into the Noxian-Demacian conflicts! Sure, they are allies with Demacia. Yet, that they still manage to stay neutral when it comes to anything battle related. Since Noxian military secrets are AWOL in Piltover, that puts them in the spotlight. If fingers get pointed at intentional sabotage, it could lead to an all out war. With some of the council members, her father included, suggesting that neutrality is hindering scientific progress this could be a front for war. Best have a talk with her father. 

“Rosalee, the docks first? Or the airstrip?” Caitlyn asks, one fist balled up. Stones line her stomach. Instincts scream that something fishy is going on. 

“D-d-docks. G-gramps f-f-f-first. A-always.” Rosalee explains, her small hand grabbing hold of her favorite weapon. 

“Smart choice.” Caitlyn grabs for her rifle, and an extra case of rounds. 

“G-g-got a b-b-b-bad f-f-feeling,” Rosalee tells her, a single fang peaking out from her mouth. 

“Me too. Let’s find this inventor before all hell breaks out. Piltover does not need this political mess up.” Caitlyn replies, yet her guts still scream that something is off. Never before has she felt an unease like this before! Something that looks like two figures dance in the corner of her vision. A woman in white with a large black dog? How’d they get past her? Yet, when she looks at where they were should be, nothing!


	6. Death's Whispers in the Sleet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caitlyn is searching for a missing Zaunite scientist. Piltover is in lock down, and war looms ugly on the horizon. At no cost can she fail! There is too much at stake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not forgotten my league of legends fanfics! I hope to update ABLaDD:TLJ sometime later this week!

Rain fell from the heavens, coating Piltover in a frozen coat of ice, several inches thick as it froze on contact. Such weather is not unheard of; in the areas further north of Piltover. To the people living in the city-state, it was a new horror never experienced before. Not even Rosalee’s grandfather’s grandfather had heard of such a thing. Weather data from Demacia called it freezing rain, the locals called it sleet. Caitlyn personally called it rather unsavory names; loudly and often to anyone who would listen. It made her job so much more difficult. It is so hard to chase down perps if the roads are an ice rink.

 

Demacia don’t really depend hextech like Piltover. Instead of reliable technology; tested, tried and true, their allies prefered mages. Human’s can’t be trusted to reliable, it’s a fact she’s learned the hard way on the job. So while Piltover got plenty of data on this Gods forsaken weather anomaly, there was no accompanying hextech support. A flurry of eager creators were constantly providing prototypes to help, nothing of real value had been provided. For the best Piltover has is a finicky de-icing robots that focus primary on keeping the main roads clear. Many of the wealthier business used various heating devices to keep their section of the sidewalks clear of ice. Her father determined that the sidewalks don’t need to be kept ice free for everyone. Only those who are able to provide the hextech to clear sidewalks of ice deserve to have a safe place to walk. Caitlyn was no longer on speaking terms with her father, this was all gathered second hand from her mother.

 

At this point, Caitlyn’s father had refused to have anything to do with his “useless” daughter. Since she wasn’t following in his footsteps, doing what he wanted, he had no need of her. Instead, all of her family support came from her mother. At the age of seventeen she had moved out into a small apartment, within walking distance of her job. The sheriff had grudging hired her on the Piltover Police Force. His reasoning is that it saves him paperwork if he doesn’t have to fill out the paperwork for ‘helpful citizen’. Caitlyn didn’t care, she was doing what she loved! Rosalee, with blessing from her grandfather, also moved into her small flat. To save on space, they used bunk beds. The flat was small, maybe  four hundred square feet. Everything inside had to have a vital function, otherwise there would be no room for Caitlyn or Rosalee to work. The pressure for Chief Steele was massive to find the missing Zaunite. Often these days Caitlyn and Rosalee poured over their gathered evidence after spending the day on the streets asking questions.         

 

Today has been one such a day where they didn’t work in their office, but instead at their apartment. Thanks to there being no other yordles on staff, the office funiture wasn’t very yordle friendly. No one would buy anything in Rosalee’s size, and due to safety regulations, they couldn’t bring in anything. Chief Steele barely tolerated Caitlyn, and was nice mostly because of her being on the council. This didn’t extend to Rosalee, who was treated like trash. Caitlyn spent most of her day at the office holding back her tongue. As the youngest members, they were not treated with any level of respect. Did her fellow officers ever take into consideration her successful track record with Rosalee? No, all they saw was a ‘little girl who shouldn’t waste their time.’ Nothing they said to deter her ever worked. A passion burned in her to make Piltover a better place. Weak minded idiots were not going to stop her!

 

_ Thack!  _ A small rubber band bounces off her neck with a hard sting. Right hand flying up to the spot, Caitlyn is startled out of her thoughts. Gaze quickly shifts from the neglected paperwork under her balled up fists, to the source of the attack. Rosalee is making a finger gun at her, another rubberband already in place. As they make direct eye contact, Caitlyn’s eyes looking into Rosalee’s, she realizes just how much she’d drifted off the case. All it takes is a sharp nod of her head, for Rosalee to put down her loaded rubber band finger gun. Grateful for Rosalee helping her stay on track, she flashes a quick thumbs up. Then she drags her eyes back to a stack of handwritten reports.

 

Today the two of them had been at the docks, interviewing every they could. As it stands, with Noxus calling the city of Piltover weak, Zaun calling out for retribution for the loss of their prized scientist, and Demacia hovering a vulture, the city went into lockdown. No one gets in or out, by any means. There are roadblocks stopping any land traffic, the docks are under heavy guard, as well as the airstrip. Just as important as it is to prevent war, with the city refusing all traffic, food supplies are running low. Reports of food shortages are in the daily newspapers, along with with increased fist fights breaking out between the poorer members of Piltover. As it stands, her beloved city-state is a powder keg ready to explode into a violent riot. That would make her job hell, because she knows that a lot of poorer citizens will be locked up for just wanting to the basics needed to survive. As the laws currently stand, such arrest records will it make it nigh impossible for the people who honest work the most, impossible to acquire. Once there is a single incident of violence or theft, no reputable businesses will hire someone. That leads to an increase in illegal activities just for survival. Just a vicious cycle Caitlyn hates with undying passion. Her fingers tap against her desk, as her eyes read over the over reports one more time.       

 

Something about her reports seem off, but Caitlyn can’t put her finger on it exactly. All it is one of the dock workers explaining why he was late to work that day. Anyone working in transportation areas are required to say where they are any given day for the past two weeks. This particular worker is a bit of thorn in her side. Despite a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing towards him being a smuggler of illegal hextech, not once has she gotten enough concrete evidence to place charges on him. His alibi is solid, but it doesn’t feel right to her. Supposedly, Marcus Mason had been visiting his brother, and his sister-in-law. They had just had their first child, and he was helping around their place. Of course she’d checked it out, and it had proven solid. Both Lukas Mason, and his wife, had a child recently, and had both had vouched that Marcus had been very helpful around the house in that time.

 

“It just seems odd that Marcus would take time off work to help his brother, and sister-in-law. I thought he hated his sister-in-law.” Caitlyn mutters out loud, still unable to get past how weird it feels.

 

“H-he does. D-didn’t t-t-the i-inventor v-v-vanish i-in the same d-d-distract L-l-lukas l-lives in?” Rosalee asks, her eyes widening some at the realization. 

 

Thanks to yordles being extremely curious about their neighbors, and having eyes in every small corner of the city, Rosalee’s gossip is often vital to their success rate on cases. Caitlyn jumps out of her seat, one hand reaching for her favorite top hat. Her mother made her a scope for sniping, that rests rather neatly on her hat. Roughly once a month, her mother gifts Caitlyn with some fancy, experimental hextech. Rosalee is right behind her, putting on boots. It’s a gift from her mother, auto-adjusting metal cleats on her boots, that allow her to easily chase down perps on the icy streets. Caitlyn’s mother also gives a smaller, yordle sized, version of any hextech she gives Caitlyn to Rosalee. That way her partner can keep up, as her mother explained once.

 

As Caitlyn is running out the door when she spots two figures from the corner of her eyes. A woman in white wearing a black wolf mask, and a dark black canine shape wearing a white lamb mask look at her, before completely fading from view. Caitlyn hates when she spots those two, because always when she does, someone dies. Rosalee’s grandfather had explained to her, in very hushed tones, of the legends of Wolf and Lamb. They are Death, and they’re something like a force of nature. Not exactly a God, certainly not a mortal, and always able to be there for when someone dies. Caitlyn has never seen them taking a life, usually she spots them from the corner of her eyes. By the time she turns her gaze to focus in, and get a good luck, they’re gone. It’s frustrating! Of course, she’s since sketched them over a dozen times in her personal notebooks. They’ve almost got the same number of sketches as Vi. However, now she’s really worried.

 

Before this case threatened war, whenever she saw them, it didn’t really phase her. People die all the time. Innocents are killed by evil people, and she’s killed many a evil person on the job to protect the innocent. However, this case rides heavily on finding a certain Zaunite alive. Because, if he isn’t alive, then war will happen. Zaun will cry foul, like the whiny cowards they are, and Noxus will provide aide. Piltover, of course, will demand protection from Demacia. It’s their right to request military aide in times of war, they just haven’t needed to for a nearly a century now! Not helping the matter, is her own father seems to rousing up the cries for war himself. So many innocent lives depend on her finding this scientist alive! Please, let Wolf and Lamb not take the scientist. Caitlyn lets out her silent prayer, as she pounds down the icy steps of her apartment. Rosalee is close behind her, two small pistols resting lightly on her tiny body.     

 

“Be careful what you wish for, mortal. You never know when your prayers will be heard, or granted.” A gentle voice whispers in her ear. 

 

Caitlyn shivers at the tone, knowing that it was probably Lamb talking to her. Fear goes down her spine at how close she is to the living embodiment of Death. However, this means that the one person that the fragile peace of her home resides on likely won’t die! Relief floods her.

 

“I don’t care. I just want Piltover safe.” Caitlyn mutters softly in reply, ignoring the continued feeling of two sets of eyes watching her every movement.

 

“W-who?” Rosalee asks, voice damped by the falling sleet.

 

“Don’t worry about it! We got a case to crack. All of Piltover depends on us to find this scientist.” Caitlyn shouts back, hands holding her rifle tightly. The stakes are too high to think about anything other than complete success.       


End file.
